For the first time since Billy Hunter filed his lawsuit against the National Basketball Players Association and Derek Fisher, he revealed on Thursday in court documents who called during the 2011 lockout and told him to accept a 50-50 deal with the NBA because a side deal already been reached.

It was Kobe Bryant, according to a document Hunter filed on Los Angeles County Superior Court.

In the complaint filed on May 16, the player is referred to as Player No. 1.

Everyone now knows that player is Bryant, according to Hunter.

In Hunter's recent filing, he states, "Late in the evening before the [October 28, 2011] Waldorf Astoria meeting, I was already in bed for the night when my phone rang. The caller identified himself as the 'Black Mamba.' I knew it was Kobe Bryant, a superstar player for the Los Angeles Lakers and the highest paid player in the NBA. He told me that his agent, Robert Pelinka, who was also known to me, was on the call with him. I knew that Bryant and Fisher were friends and former teammates and shared an agent.

"Prior to this late-night phone call, Bryant had publicly supported the union's negotiating position. On the phone call, Bryant told me to agree to the new CBA at a 50-50 share of BRI (basketball-related income), saying, 'I know that tomorrow is a big day. You can put this thing to bed. Do the deal,' and also telling me, 'I got your back.' What Bryant and Pelinka were telling me is that a 50-50 deal had already been completed behind my back."

Hunter said he confronted Fisher, then the president of the executive committee comprised of players who represented NBA players during the lockout. According to the declaration filed Thursday, Hunter said, "I asked him whether he had been secretly negotiating directly with the owners. … Fisher did not deny the existence of the secret negotiations with NBA owners, but denied having had a role in them. Fisher said that it was Bryant and Pelinka who had engaged in secret negotiations with NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver, adding that they had 'thrown (Fisher) under the bus.' "

Hunter, who was ousted as executive director of the NBPA at All-Star weekend in February, believes Fisher lied to him and concluded Fisher "had, in fact, been negotiating with the owners himself."

Hunter is suing the union, Fisher and Jamie Wior for compensation and punitive damages. The union was paying Hunter $3 million a year, and Hunter's contract originally ran through June 30, 2015.

However, the validity of that contract remains in question. An independent investigation into union practices conducted by the high-powered law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison – which is also investigating the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin situation with the Miami Dolphins – concluded that Hunter's contract was never properly approved.

Hunter believes his contract was approved, and also on Wednesday, Hunter received support from former executive committee members Mo Evans, Etan Thomas and Theo Ratliff – all of him signed court declarations stating they believed Hunter's contract was valid.

"Given everything I know about Mr. Hunter's service to the union and the benefit the union received from Mr. Hunter's work, the union's current position that Mr. Hunter does not have a valid employment contract is outrageous," Ratliff said.

Evans said, "Fisher spoke up in support of Mr. Hunter's contract extension and said that Mr. Hunter deserved a new contract. There was universal support on the Executive Committee for the contract extension. In fact, no member of the Executive Committee disagreed with the decision to extend Mr. Hunter's contract. I was never informed at that time that the contract extension needed to be ratified by another group of NBA players. Mr. Hunter was treated as if his contract was final and binding."

The NBPA has tried to move on, electing Chris Paul its new president and named a new executive committee in August. The union is also searching for a new executive director and wants to at least have a small field of candidates by All-Star weekend in February. To that end, union officials are meeting with teams and naming new team representatives so that the union can vote for a new executive director when the time comes.

However, the fallout from the 2011 lockout won't go away. Hunter's lawsuit is active (no court date set), and Joseph Lombardo of Prim Capital pled guilty in mid-November to mail fraud and conspiracy to obstruct a grand jury investigation in connection with an attempt to defraud the NBPA. Hunter's son, Todd, had worked for Prim, which managed a portion of the union's assets. Carolyn Kaufman, also of Prim, faces similar charges and is scheduled to stand trial starting on Dec. 2.

April 14, 2014: Minnesota Timberwolves forward Corey Brewer goes crowd surfing in the middle of a game against the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors went on to win a 130-120 shootout, clinching the 6th seed in the playoffs.
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April 13, 2014: Paul George and his Indiana Pacers got a much-needed win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, as his squad jousts with the Miami Heat for the top playoff spot in the East.
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March 18, 2014: On the day he was introduced as Knicks president, Phil Jackson joins former teammates Walt Frazier and Dick Barnett and Peter DeBusschere, son of Jackson teammate Dave.
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March 3, 2014: The night belonged to LeBron James, who put on a show for the South Beach crowd with a career-high and Heat-record 61 points in a 124-107 win over the Bobcats.
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March 2, 2014: Joakim Noah (13) sends Raymond Felton's (2) shot back where it came from as the Bulls rolled to a 109-90 win over the Knicks in Chicago. Noah wracked up a triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists.
Mike Dinovo, USA TODAY Sports

Feb 26, 2014: Dwight Howard (12) beat Blake Griffin (32) for an alley-oop slam here, but it wasn't enough for the Rockets, who fell 101-93 to the Clippers in a matchup of Western Conference contenders.
Kelvin Kuo, USA TODAY Sports

Feb 24, 2014: Everyone knew he would take the shot, but the Knicks still couldn't stop Dirk Nowitzki (41), who hit the game-winning shot here at the buzzer to give the Mavericks a 110-108 win.
Anthony Gruppuso, USA TODAY Sports

Feb. 23, 2014: Brooklyn Nets center Jason Collins (46) attempts a shot during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers. Collins became the first openly gay athlete to play in any of North America's four major professional sports.
Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports

Feb. 5, 2014: Sacramento center DeMarcus Cousins attempts to save the ball from going out of bounds during the third quarter in the Kings' game against the Toronto Raptors.
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Jan. 26, 2014: It was another emotional night in Boston as Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett returned for the first time since being traded to the Nets in July. Each only scored six points, but Brooklyn came away with a 85-79 win.
Mark L. Baer, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 25, 2014: Thunder star Kevin Durant had his game face on for a 103-91 win over the 76ers, finishing with 32 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists for his second triple-double of the season. Durant also scored 30 or more for the 10th consecutive game.
Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 24, 2014: Carmelo Anthony was all smiles after he delighted the home crowd and lit up Madison Square Garden with a franchise and arena-record 62 points in the Knicks' 125-96 win over the Bobcats.
Noah K. Murray, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 12, 2014: C.J. Miles (0) couldn't get to the bucket here against Jason Thompson (34), just as the Cavaliers had a tough time scoring against the Kings in a 124-80 loss. Sacramento's 44-point blowout was the biggest rout of the NBA season so far.
Kelley L. Cox, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 10, 2014: In an NBA first, the Heat and Nets wore jerseys with nicknames on the back. "The Truth" Paul Pierce (34) and the Nets got the better of "King James" LeBron James and the Heat in a 104-95 double-overtime win.
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Jan. 5, 2014: A frustrated Jose Calderon pleads his case with an official during the Mavericks' home loss to the Knicks. New York frustrated Dallas into a season low in points in a 92-80 win.
Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 4, 2014: Kevin Love, right, got the better of Kevin Durant in this collision of All-Stars, but Durant and the Thunder got the better of Love and the Timberwolves on the scoreboard in Oklahoma City's 115-111 win.
Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports

Jan. 1, 2014: Monta Ellis (11) played some tough defense on John Wall (2) here as the Mavericks locked down on the Wizards in the fourth quarter of an 87-78 win in Washington.
Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 23, 2013: In the epitome of a size mismatch, the 7-0 Dirk Nowitzki shoots over the 6-3 Jeremy Lin during a Mavericks win over the Rockets. Nowtizki scored a game-high 31 points to move into 13th place on the all-time scoring list.
Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 21, 2013: Damian Lillard does it all for the Portland Trail Blazers. The reigning Rookie of the Year hit the floor to corral a loose ball here and later hit the go-ahead three-pointer in a 110-107 home win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Steve Dykes, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 19, 2013: No Big 3 was no problem for the Spurs. Even with Tim Duncan cheering from the bench and Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker also out, San Antonio edged Golden State on the road 104-102.
Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 14, 2013: Washington point guard John Wall (2) wasn't happy with a call here or the Wizards' play in a 113-97 home loss to the Clippers. Wall finished with 24 points and 12 assists, but his Los Angeles counterpart Chris Paul answered with 38 points and 12 dimes.
Geoff Burke, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 11, 2013: It was an emotional night in Boston when former coach Doc Rivers returned to the TD Garden as a visitor. Rivers received a standing ovation during a video tribute to his nine years with the Celtics.
Greg M. Cooper, USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 8, 2013: It was thumbs up all around in Laker Land when Kobe Bryant made his season debut eight months after suffering a torn Achilles tendon. Bryant's return was not enough, though, as Los Angeles lost to the Toronto Raptors.
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Dec. 6, 2013: Rockets guard James Harden (13) drives the ball on a fast break during the first quarter against the Golden State Warriors at the Toyota Center in Houston.
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Dec. 5, 2013: Iman Shumpert (21) and Andray Blatche (0) shared just a few of the many heated words exchanged between the Knicks and Nets in the battle of New York. Shumpert and the Knicks routed Blatche and the Nets in the first of four meetings this season.
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Nov. 23, 2013: Tempers flare during a third-quarter altercation between the Blazers and Warriors in Oakland. The fracas led to three ejections and six technical fouls during Portland's come-from-behind win.
Kyle Terada, USA TODAY Sports

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This is the still his swan song, the final season of a storied career in which he won five championships, broke the hearts of so many opposing fanbases with clutch postseason shots and earned his status as one of the great role players of his time. Fisher — the 39-year-old Oklahoma City Thunder point guard who in recent years made far more noise as the former role as president of the players union than he did with his play — is ready to stop diving for loose balls and instead dive into family life again.

In a recent chat with USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick, Fisher – who announced his plans to retire in July – discussed his victory lap and looked ahead to what's next.

Q. So, is this still it?

A. Yeah, this is the final run. I physically feel I could play more years, but trying to figure out from year to year whether or not (his wife and four kids, who live in Los Angeles) should all move, and my kids (is tough). It's been a great enough experience to say that now it's time for them to come first.

Q. So are you in a reflective state for the entire season now? That has to be an interesting experience when you've already made up your mind that this is it and may be more inclined to smell the roses.

A. For sure. Not too much, because you have to make sure you keep that edge that you keep as a player. But definitely in that state of mind where you're just appreciating everything more and valuing the relationships and the time with the guys, and all those little things.

Q. You always hear about the adrenaline and how athletes struggle when it's gone. That worry you at all?

A. That's going to be tough. Since I was six years old, basketball has been a big focal point. But I think that with things that I've done up until now, as well as things that I'm thinking about doing after (the playing career ends), I'm consciously taking steps to mitigate that impact, that void that basketball will leave. (Just as) playing basketball requires an effort and work, I'll have to work at not playing basketball. I'm trying to do my best, but I'm sure there will be days when I wish I was still out there.

Q. So what's next? You've always been one of the most well-rounded and smartest guys around. Any solid plans yet?

A. No. I'm for sure that quality of life is going to be important to me, just being able to spend more time with my kids and go to school events and soccer games. That will probably limit some of my options initially, but I'm not closing anything off (in terms of opportunities). There's a way to make everything work, so we'll see. Hopefully on the court can be a great ending to the story. That's what I'm shooting for.

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Tim Duncan, left, and Kevin Garnett seemingly have been rivals forever. But they aren't even among the five oldest players in the NBA. Flip through this gallery to see the 15 for the 2013-14 season, including both of these guys.
Ann Heisenfelt, AP

15. Paul Pierce, Brooklyn Nets. Birth date: Oct. 13, 1977. The longtime Celtics star is a future Hall of Famer who finally is showing his age this season for the Nets.
Anthony Gruppuso, USA TODAY Sports

14. Jason Terry, Brooklyn Nets. Birth date: Sept. 15, 1977. Part of the same trade that brought Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn, Terry has continued in his role as a sixth man.
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13. Nazr Mohammed, Chicago Bulls. Birth date: Sept. 5, 1977. The bruising center has been a key reserve for most of his NBA career and continues in that role.
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12. Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs. Birth date: July 28, 1977. The three-time NBA champion went from the 57th pick of the 1999 draft to a likely Hall of Famer and still is a key player for the undying Spurs.
Russell Isabella, USA TODAY Sports

11. Pablo Prigioni, New York Knicks. Birth date: May 17, 1977. The Argentine guard did not even join the NBA until last season after a great career in Europe and now contributes quite a bit for the Knicks.
Mary Langenfeld, USA TODAY Sports

Tim Duncan, left, and Kevin Garnett seemingly have been rivals forever. But they aren't even among the five oldest players in the NBA. Flip through this gallery to see the 15 for the 2013-14 season, including both of these guys.
Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports

8. Antawn Jamison, Los Angeles Clippers. Birth date: June 12, 1976. The former All-Star now is resting up early in the season with hopes of getting back on court for the playoffs.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea, USA TODAY Sports

6. Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs. Birth date: April 25, 1976. Duncan has graduated from being the best player in the NBA to being the best old player, still extremely efficient even as his minutes have been cut slightly.
Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports

3. Mike James, Chicago Bulls. Birth date: June 23, 1975. The unbelievably fit point guard took the long way to the NBA the first time and needed a Development League stint to make it back last season.
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Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel has a refreshing penchant for unwavering honesty — such as last spring when Vogel said the Miami Heat had a more intelligent offensive strategy for Pacers center Roy Hibbert than the New York Knicks.

But when given the chance to trump his team's superiority over the Knicks hours before his team beat the Knicks in overtime at Madison Square Garden Wednesday, Vogel chose Eastern Conference diplomacy.

Asked if he felt the Pacers have separated themselves from the Knicks this season, Vogel said, "Not at all. I feel like we've gotten better. There's no question about that. … I don't feel like we've separated from them at all."

Vogel quickly pointed out the Pacers were 3-6 last season but ended up in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Miami Heat.

When the Pacers were struggling last season, Vogel said it was on the offensive end, adjusting to life without injured forward Danny Granger.

"We had to have a shift in philosophy to make up for – much like the Knicks are adjusting to life without Tyson Chandler – life without Danny Granger. There's an adjustment period involved with that. That's what it was at that time."

Forward Paul George emerged, and the Pacers couldn't have asked for a better outcome.

Michael Carter Williams of the Philadelphia 76ers wins USA TODAY Sports' rookie of the year award, drawing eight of 10 first-place votes for 42 points after holding first place most of the season. Here are his runners-up.
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Atlanta Hawks guard-forward Kyle Korver is close to tying and breaking Dana Barros' record for games played with at least one made three-pointer.

Korver has made a three-pointer in 85 consecutive games, four short of Barros' record set in the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons. He can tie the record Wednesday in a road game against the Houston Rockets and break the record Friday at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry had a 53-game streak with at least one made three-pointer, but it ended on March 15 last season when he went 0-for-5 against the Chicago Bulls.

DAILY-DOUBLE: This one is unfortunate

The Utah Jazz, 1-12 headed into Friday's game against the Dallas Mavericks, are last in the league in two important categories – offensive efficiency and defensive efficiency. The Jazz are scoring a league-worst 92.8 points per 100 possessions and allowing a league-worst 106.1 points per 100 possessions.

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Lakers guard Kobe Bryant is not expected to return this season as he recovers from a broken bone in his left knee. Flip through this gallery for more current NBA injuries.
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